Ask Yourself: What type of work situation is the best fit for me?
What type of work you want to do and in what kind of environment. Be specific.
What rings true for you?
Emotional intelligence is an important workplace trait. Understanding the nature of the workplace where you plan to apply, improves your chances of finding a good fit for both you and your employer.
Before you begin searching the Library Databases (for any topic), it's helpful to create a list of search terms.
Search terms are keywords or phrases related to a topic.
Examples of search terms for business topics:
| entrepreneur, entrepreneurship | "study skills" |
| "strategic management;" "hospitality management" | "time management" |
| business - organization, company, corporation | "critical thinking" |
| market, marketing; "segment marketing;" "target marketing" | "interpersonal skills" |
| accountant, auditor, comptroller, accounting, "cost accounting" | mindset |
| finance, financial affairs, banking, investment | "learning styles," "visual learner" |
| "professional development," "business skills," workplace AND skills | problem-solving |
| "human resources," HR, personnel | "nonverbal communication" |
| strategy, strategic, "strategic plan," "strategic planning" | teamwork |
| "customer service," "client service" | "lifelong OR self-directed learning" |
NOTE: If you find that your results are not as targeted as you'd hoped, try putting search terms that consist of 2 or more words in quotation marks. This directs the database to search the phrase rather than the separate words individually. Also, combine search terms using AND, OR.
Gathering as much information as possible and learning as much as you can as you explore the next steps in educating yourself for the job market is important. A great place to start your research explorations is with Western Library's databases.
Learn about using Western Library Databases in the boxes below!
If you need help finding information remember to Ask-a-Librarian! Don't struggle alone!
What is a Database?
A database is an online collection of resources - articles, eBooks, etc. Western Library has a complete list of databases for students that cover a broad range of topics and subjects, including several business databases.
Begin your research with general articles from a reference database to get an overview of your topic. Find out the terminology and issues related to your topic. The next step is to find more detailed information from a business database.
Browse our A-Z Databases list linked below.
Use the database Credo Reference to find definitions and explanations of business terms, and solid background information about business topics. Link to the database and a tutorial below.
